What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1464050
Northwest Arkansas community into The Commons to show off their talents or to watch others do so. Morgan Hicks, T2 co-founder and arts engagement director, says this kind of engagement in The Commons was always on the agenda, but the covid-19 pandemic put large gatherings on hold for the first two years the theater was open. "For the Sunday Night Social events, we were interested in using the time in the early evening on Sunday, when the theater is usually empty, and filling it with a variety of interactive programs in a very casual atmosphere," says Hicks. "We wanted to include our New Voices series of play readings but also find other ways to center new voices and the talents of our community. Our goal is very simple: To make everyone feel welcome in our home, to encourage people to share their artistry with us in a supportive environment, and to have some fun." Two events have already occurred — February featured karaoke, while March offered a chance to sing with live piano backing or perform poetry — and the enthusiasm and participation at those events seemed to clearly indicate that Hicks and co-organizer and host Na'Tosha De'Von's careful planning was paying off. "In conceiving the project, we wanted to create events that we would want to go to," notes Hicks. "We wanted the space to be full of people and for those people to look like our community. We wanted a place for our visiting artists to be impressed by how active and inviting our community is. We wanted our regular audience members to experience the space in a new and exciting way. We wanted to welcome people who might join us for a more casual event but who might not think of themselves as a typical theater audience goer. Basically, we want to make sure that everyone in our community knows that they are welcome and wanted inside our home." De'Von, a poet herself, recited two of her poems at the March event, so she has experienced the Sunday Night Social from multiple perspectives. "The thing that surprised me the most about the events is how much incredible local and supportive talent we have," she says. "We managed to get community members of all backgrounds and of different age groups to come in and share positive space together. As a poet, it is extremely important to have spaces like these. Oftentimes, we are so pressured with making art our job, we forget the joy in it. Spaces like this remind us of the fun in creating." Kylie Groom Stacy is a professional actor currently serving as resident actor/teaching artist at Trike Theatre in Bentonville. She attended the March event, singing Sara Bareilles' "She Used to Be Mine" to the accompaniment of pianist and frequent T2 collaborator Jason Burrows. "I enjoyed my experience so much," says Stacy. "It was such a warm, friendly atmosphere, and, as a professional singer who is constantly prepping for the next audition, it was so nice to just sing for me, without any agenda other than the enjoyment of myself and others." While Stacy and De'Von are professionals, the event is designed for ability — and age — levels of all kinds, something De'Von alluded to when she opened the performances in March. "We will have some professional singers, some not professional singers or professional singers like myself who can't really sing," she said at the time. "But none of that matters, because we are now all friends, and we are going to create a loving and encouraging environment where everyone who gets on the mic will be able to come up and have the best time." "It's a vulnerable act of bravery to share your art with the world, and creating more spaces for people to do so — without the gatekeeping that typically takes place with such events — is a valuable service that connects people to one another, as well as to themselves," says Stacy. "I love that our audiences come to our building to receive what we create for them through our productions, but it has been so beautiful to have the chance to receive what they create, as well," concludes Hicks. Lara Jo Hightower, previously a writer for the Features sections, now works with TheatreSquared and occasionally contributes here. Email her at larajo@ larajo.com. "AN ENTIRELY FRESH, FUNNY & GORGEOUS NEW PRODUCTION. A REASON FOR CELEBRATION!" – N E W Y O R K M A G A Z I N E MAY 10-15 | 8 SHOWS! BEST AVAILABILITY THURSDAY AT 1:30PM. Broadway Series Sponsor: Media Support: Broadway supporters: Bob & Becky Alexander Friends of Broadway Additional support provided by Cynthia Coughlin Show Sponsors: 6 WHAT'S UP! APRIL 10-16, 2022 Social Continued From Page 5 FAYETTEVILLE